Loose-leaf binder



March l 1927. v1,619,589

yW. J. STEENROD LoosE LEAF BINDER Filed oct. 24, 1925 FAQ.. Y i; umm @I 6 1 dlliill ,-UHIIHW Patented Mar. 1, 1927.

UNITED STATEES PATENT l'O FFLCE.

WILLIAM J. STEENROD, OF BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 BAKER-VART- TER COMPANY, OF BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION 0F MICHIGAN.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

Application filed October 24, 1925.

In the manufacture of heavy loose leaf binders for bookkeeping and like purposes, the sides of the binder are ordinarily hinged to what are usually termed post bars, toone which the posts which engage the orificed sheets are secured and the other one of' which is orificed and equipped with a looking mechanism arranged to engage the posts. My present inventionrelates to post bars 'formed of-sheet metal, and my invention relates to the construction of the bar itself and also to the novel locking mechanism with .which it is equipped, and has for its object the provision offa strong, simple binder bar which mayfbe conveniently and economically manufactured and novel and eflicient locking n'iechanism vofsimple construction and few parts which shall render the bar highly usef'ul and desirable to serve the purposes for which it was designed. Tith these ends in view I have designed and invented the novel post bar mechanism hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, the essential elements of my invention being more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing7 Figure l is a. face or plan View of a post bar containing my invention; Fig. 2 is a side view of' an associated pair of bars; Fig. 3 is a cross section of the bars on the line 8 8 of Fig. 9.; Fig. 4 is a plan or face view of the locking mechanism within the casing member, the upper part of the casing being broken away to show the parts ot' the locking mechanism; Fig. 5 is a side view of the same, the post bar being shown in section and the parts of such mechanism being shown in locked position on the post; and Fig. 6 is aV similar view, but with the parts in unlocked position.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures of the drawing.

The post bars proper are formed each of a strip of sheet metal bent into the form of a flattened tube 1 continuous at one side with parallel contiguous flanges 2 extending outwardly from the center of one side of the tube. These flanges are formed with short retaining lugs 3 struck up from the body of the flange arranged to engage a slotted tube 4 which is slid over the pair of flanges and engages them tightly. The flanges are cut away transversely at suitable points (in the present instance at two points) to provide kSerial No. 64,490.

the flange members. A pair of lugs, severally arranged on opposite flange members on each side of' a hingingmember, with one or more'intermediateflugs, may suitably be used to attain the desired connection of theiparts. End caps 7 are secured tothe post bars and tubes to provide a neat finish.

1t will be understood that the posts 8 (which may and usually are of sectional construction) are rigidly secured to one post bar, as the lower one shown in Fig. 3, and pass loosely through orifices inthe other bar. ldithin the latter are housed the novel duplicate locking mechanisms which I have devised for detachably securing the bar and attached cover to the posts. Describing now one of these locking mechanisms, the locking member consists of a rocking metal plate 9, having' an orifice 10 slightly larger than the post 8 which engages it, and formed with a pair of' legs 11 having at their lower ends lugs 12 which are seated in apertures in the bottom fold of the post bar, the positions referred to being those of the parts as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. Extending horizontally to the lett is a lever arm 13 which is engaged by a push button 14 flanged within the post bar and having a lower convex engaging face 15. The left side of the plate 9 is formed with a stop 16 which when. the push button is depressed to rock the plate forms a positivestop to prevent movement of the plate past a position in which the plate lies parallel with the sides of the post bar. The locking plate 9 is yieldingly maintained in the locking position shown in Fig. 5 by a spring 17 which is formed with a cross portion a engaging the upper inner face of the post bar at the left of the post, opposite branches b extending to the other side of the post, coils c, and end portions l which extend from the coils towards the right and are fastened to the plate by terminal bends which extend through orifices therein. This novel llt) in other-devices of' this eharaeter that known to me.

As will readily be understood from the foregoing description, the looking plate grips the post bar firmly when in the oblique position shown in Fig. 5, whereas when the plate is shifted by actuation of the push button to the position shown in F ig. G (both buttons being simultaneously operated) the post is released. The rounded form of the lower side of the push button permits it to have a rolling Contact on the lever arm l, and thus permits it to move freely in a direct line7 without turning sidewise in its seatin the post bar.

I claim:

LA post bar consisting of a strip of sheet metal folded to form a hollow flattened post bar proper and contiguous parallel fianges at one side thereof, and a slotted tube extending over said flanges and secured thereto.

2. A post bar consisting of a strip of sheet metal folded to form a hollow flattened post bar proper and contiguous parallel flanges at one side thereof, said flanges being formed with retaining lugs, and a slotted tube extendingl oversaid flanges and engaging said retaining lugs.

3. A post bar consisting of' a strip of sheet metal folded to form a hollow flattened postbar proper and contiguous parallel flanges at one side thereof and a slotted tube extending over said flanges and secured thereto, said flanges being out away at a plurality of' points between said post bar.

proper and tube to forni hinge openings.

4;. In a hollow orieed post bar, a spring p iessed normally inclined oriliced plate having legs seated at one side of the post orifice in the lower wall of the bar and also having on sueh side a lever arm and having on the opposite side a stop arm arranged to Contact with the upper wall of the bar when the plate is shifted to position parallel with the walls of the bar, and a push button having a flanged convex lower end engaging said lever arm for rocking said plate.

WILLIAM J STEENROD. 

